LED brake lights

[UKTN]

Has anyone used these?

http://www.bikerhiway.com/electropods-flashing-led-motorcycle-brake-lights-red-leds-p-336.html

 

[Eric S]

Looks like the same thing as Hyperlites.

[UKTN]

But at half the price!

[Mark K]

Not legal in California

 

What's that about? (not that I'm headed there anytime soon, but I do have flashing brake lights)

 

 

 

 

[edit] Oh...I see why now that I saw the video. They strobe very very fast. [edit]

[Shaman97]

I have the Hyperlites.

 

Mostly, I think they're there to make my wife feel better about me riding. I wouldn't expect they make any difference in visibility, especially during the day.

[Mark K]

I wouldn't expect they make any difference in visibility, especially during the day.

 

 

They must. I get questions/comments on them all the time, and I don't ride after dark.

[Shaman97]

I wouldn't expect they make any difference in visibility, especially during the day.

 

 

They must. I get questions/comments on them all the time, and I don't ride after dark.

 

What I meant was that if some driver says "I didn't even see him" when a bike is coming down the street, or gets hit from behind at a stop light, I don't believe a few blinking LED's at the license plate level are going to make a difference

[Jon_M]

Not legal in California

 

Oh...I see why now that I saw the video. They strobe very very fast.

 

What video? I could not find that...

[bobbybob]

There are lots of cheap LED flashers now, many of which are junk--very dim. Yeah, they are red and yeah, they flash, but thats about as far as it goes. I have noted some on cruisers and they are worse than the OEM non-flashing lights. Almost invisible in daylight.

[Kathy R]

Has anyone used these?

http://www.bikerhiway.com/electropods-flashing-led-motorcycle-brake-lights-red-leds-p-336.html

 

No, I haven't. However, I did just have LED bulbs installed on front and back signals and the tail light too. The tail light is not set up to blink, but let me tell you...it doesn't need to. That is one bright light in the day or nighttime.

 

This guy lives north of me in upstate N.Y.

[der Wanderer]

Kathy, any chance at pictures and specifics on which part numbers were used?

Thanks

 

[Mark K]

What video? I could not find that...

 

 

At the StreetFx website. While you're there, you can also pick up some ground effect lighting !

[Kathy R]

Whoops, It's dark out so here are photos of the back of the bike at night. No brake is being applied and no flash was used. There are two each of the LED bulbs in the tail light. There are one each of the LED bulbs in the signal.

 

LED tail light and blinking left signal

 

Same shot without the left signal, but standing a little further back

 

There was no one around so that I could show you what it looks like with the brake on, but believe me...you can't miss it.

I guess my camera lense is a wee dirty...sorry about that.

 

Oh, part numbers...

2 ea 1008 load eq

2 ea 1210 Red 1157 Brake4

4 ea 1201 Amber 1156 Turns

 

[der Wanderer]

Thanks a lot!

[Deek]

".....I don't believe a few blinking LED's at the license plate level are going to make a difference...."

 

I'd say you're incorrect. The eye "sees" flashing lights much more quickly and easily than a steady light. I've had them on my last few motorcycles, and plan to install them on the RT ASAP. In the interim I am manually flashing my brake lights at stops......now there is a PITA!

[der Wanderer]

Deek, while I agree with your comments, I am guessing the ones you responded to were meant to suggest that it may not make a difference for people who pay 0 attention anyway.

 

If I oversimplify, there are 3 categories of drivers out there:

 

1) the few who use "defensive driving" thinking on a permanent basis, always look and process "what if" hypothesis to be ready for any change; standard brakes and turn signals are enough for them to be aware and take appropriate action.

 

2) the vast majority of those who are somewhat on autopilot and are driving without actively thinking... their brain is not active and they may take a few more seconds to notice something; it is my understanding that enhanced visibility tools, flashing, etc have been proven effective on those drivers (but of course one cannot only rely on that).

 

3) the group of criminals who engage the few brain cells they possess in a variety of non-driving related activities and would not notice if a flashing firetruck was in front of them; indeed having a few blinking LED lights is not going to make much of a difference there.

 

I believe the second category is the largest and as such the most dangerous. That's why I think high visibility enhancements are useful. However I am aware there is a third category out there, and I never rely just on the visibility enhancements.

[lvmyks]

I purchased the BMW Brake Light from Chicago BMW, total 142.00. It is a seperate light below the license plate. I get Great feedback from followers.

[JMR]

There are lots of cheap LED flashers now, many of which are junk--very dim. Yeah, they are red and yeah, they flash, but thats about as far as it goes. ..... Almost invisible in daylight.

I agree on LEDs being hardly noticeable in bright daylight, just my opinion based on what I have seen. Because of that, I wanted to use my rear turn signals as flashers, because they show up very well in daylight.

I recently got a programmable flasher unit from George Kriss at Kriss Industries that uses my rear turn signals to grab the attention of those behind me when I brake. Does not interfere with regular turn signal function, has about a dozen choices of flash modes and combinations to choose from, takes about two-three minutes to change modes ( like the wig-wag mode, very noticeable and annoying to followers). The unit works my turn signals only, no connection to the brake light because of challenges with the CANBUS. I like it.

[Kathy R]

I agree on LEDs being hardly noticeable in bright daylight,

 

Mine seem to be much more noticable than the regular bulbs in bright daylight. Many large trucks are sporting them these days and those too seem much easier to see. And traffic lights seem to be just about all switched over to LEDs.

 

 

[Deek]

"...That's why I think high visibility enhancements are useful. However I am aware there is a third category out there, and I never rely just on the visibility enhancements....."

 

Well, yeah, duh!

[bobbybob]

There are lots of cheap LED flashers now, many of which are junk--very dim. Yeah, they are red and yeah, they flash, but thats about as far as it goes. ..... Almost invisible in daylight.

I agree on LEDs being hardly noticeable in bright daylight, just my opinion based on what I have seen. Because of that, I wanted to use my rear turn signals as flashers, because they show up very well in daylight.

I recently got a programmable flasher unit from George Kriss at Kriss Industries that uses my rear turn signals to grab the attention of those behind me when I brake. Does not interfere with regular turn signal function, has about a dozen choices of flash modes and combinations to choose from, takes about two-three minutes to change modes ( like the wig-wag mode, very noticeable and annoying to followers). The unit works my turn signals only, no connection to the brake light because of challenges with the CANBUS. I like it.

 

Those sound interesting--what happens if you're using the turn signals when you hit the brakes? Any conflicts? How does it sort out the turn signal vs. the brake flasher?

[markgoodrich]

There are lots of cheap LED flashers now, many of which are junk--very dim. Yeah, they are red and yeah, they flash, but thats about as far as it goes. ..... Almost invisible in daylight.

I agree on LEDs being hardly noticeable in bright daylight, just my opinion based on what I have seen. Because of that, I wanted to use my rear turn signals as flashers, because they show up very well in daylight.

I recently got a programmable flasher unit from George Kriss at Kriss Industries that uses my rear turn signals to grab the attention of those behind me when I brake. Does not interfere with regular turn signal function, has about a dozen choices of flash modes and combinations to choose from, takes about two-three minutes to change modes ( like the wig-wag mode, very noticeable and annoying to followers). The unit works my turn signals only, no connection to the brake light because of challenges with the CANBUS. I like it.

 

Those sound interesting--what happens if you're using the turn signals when you hit the brakes? Any conflicts? How does it sort out the turn signal vs. the brake flasher?

 

I don't think Kriss is going to manufacture the item. I've got what I think is the only functioning flasher (using OEM blubs) from him. In his last email he said he's quitting the BMW market. Too bad, he's a competent fellow, and my product at least has satisfied me.

[Mighty Manfred]

I put those exact units on my R80RT a few months ago. I mounted them on the turn signal stalks, to get some separation from the stock brake light. Cars behind me slow down sooner than they did without them - day or night. Other bikers who have ridden with me tell they are very noticeable.